The present invention relates to novel prostacyclin derivatives, a process for their preparation, and their use as medicinal agents.
Prostacyclin (PGI.sub.2), one of the primary factors in blood platelet aggregation, has a dilating effect on various blood vessels (Science 196, 1072). Thus, it could be considered as an agent for lowering blood pressure. However, PGI.sub.2 does not possess the stability required for a medicine. The half- life of PGI.sub.2 at physiological pH values and at room temperature is only a few minutes.
DOS [German Unexamined Laid-Open Application] No. 2,753,244 and its equivalent U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,479 describe prostacyclin derivatives stabilized by a nitrile group on the terminal ether double bond. However, it is still desired to have compounds whose properties are even better than those of such prostacyclins.